Illuminated clothes closet fixture



MarchlS, 1958 E. s. WOOLLEY 2,827,555

ILLUMINATED CLQTHES CLOSET FIXTURE 7 Filed April 9, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

566/2 B WaoZZqy March 18, 1958 E. B. WOOLLEY ILLUMINATED CLOTHES CLOSET FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1956 INVENTOR. 556m 15? Wool Z 6y United States Patent- O ELUMINATED etorrnes CLOSET FlXTURE Eben B. Woolley, Milford, Conn, assignor of one-half to Frederic (3. Hindle, New Haven, Conn.

Application April 9, 1956, Serial No. 577,120

Claims. (Cl. 240-2) This invention relates to clothing fixtures of the type adapted to be installed in clothes closets for supporting clothing carried on garment hangers and the like.

It has often been proposed in the past to provide artificial lighting in clothes closets for homes, since such closets are notoriously dark, often being placed in interior locations or walls of the home. The matter of placement of the lighting source has involved a number of problems, since location of the light above the hat shelf results in dark shadows below the shelf, especially to the rear of the usual garment rail disposed under the shelf. Articles hung on the rear wall of the closet, in back of the rail, have not been illuminated satisfactorily with such an arrangement. If, on the other hand, the light is disposed below the shelf, the shadows are thrown above the same, preventing proper illumination of the articles carried on the shelf.

. in accordance with the present invention the disadvantages and drawbacks incident to prior proposals for lighting clothes closets and the like are obviated.

In accomplishing this, I provide a novel and improved illuminating clothes closet fixture having such characteristics that it provides an advantageous diffused lighting of the closet interior by virtue of the provision of an elongate light source, and provides a novel and desirable location for said light source with relation to a light rail and/ or shelf means, to the end that dark and bothersome shadows are virtually eliminated.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved clothes closet fixture comprising, in combination, an elongate light source and a garment supporting rail, which is so constituted and organized as to prevent or greatly minimize dark shadows in the clothes closet and instead provide a diffused and soft, yet effective light which is adequate for all desired purposes.

In one embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, the improved lightin fixture comprises an elongate source of light, as for example a fluorescent tube or the like, carried by a frame or supporting structure Which also mounts below the light source a clothes or garmenthanger supporting rail. The light source preferably is carried Within an open-sided casing constituting at least in part a portion of the supporting structure or framework, so arranged that light is obstructed forwardly to prevent it from shining directly into the eyes of a person standing at the front of the closet. The light is instead directed downwardly both forwardly and rearwardly, hereby to completely illuminate the clothes rail and any garr. eat which may be carried thereby. Also, by virtue of the large expanse of the light source, reilected light therefrom will pass upwardly in a diffused pattern, providing a soft rumination for the upper portions of the closet whereby objects cairied on the hat shelf may readily seen at all times.

In another embodiment of the invention, a fixture is provided wherein the elongate light source and clothes rail are combined with a shelf means having large open 2,827,555. Patented Mar. 18, 1958 2 areas or openings, such as may be provided by a plurality of parallel bars or rods, whereby light may pass upwardly through said means from the said light source. in this embodiment, the open sided casing for the light source is arranged to permit light to pass downwardly, rearwardly and also rearwardly upward, while obstructing light in forward directions. Thus, a shielding of the light from the eyes of a person standing in front of the closet will be effected, while at the same time a highly desirable illumination of all of the contents of the closet will be had.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved clothes closet fixture comprising, in conjunction with an elongate light source, a garment supporting rail and a perforate or light-admitting shelf means constituted as a single fixture which may be readily installed in a closet.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved clothes closet fixture in accordance with the foregoing, which may be easily and quickly mounted at different locations or elevations in the closet, thereby to satisfy the needs of a particular user of the closet.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision, in conjunction with the garment rail and/or perforated or light-passing shelf means, of a light source which is elongate and provides a diffused light rather than a concentrated light.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved clothes closet fixture as above characterized, which has all of the aforementioned advantages and is nevertheless simple in its construction and economical to manufacture, and also reliable in operation throughout an extended period of use.

Gther features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts wherever possible in the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an improved clothes closet fixture made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the fixture shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of a clothes closet fixture made in accordance with the invention and illustrating another embodiment thereof.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line S-5 of Fig. 4-.

Referring to Figs. l3, the improved clothes closet fixture shown therein comprises an elongate frame indicated generally by the numeral 10, which is provided with means at its ends for attaching it to a supporting surface. While any suitable attaching means may be employed, it is preferred to provide attaching means in the form of end plates 11 and 12, which extend transversely of the frame and, housing. As shown in Fig. 3, the frame 10 may be generally of rectangular cross section, having front, top and rear walls llla, ill!) and lilo respectively, and may have an open side or bottom 13 whereby, in conjunction with the end plates it constitutes an open-sided casing.

Within the casing 10 there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an elongate light-producing means 14 disposed adjacent the open side 13, said light-producing means, for example, comprising one or several fluorescent tubes or elongate incandescent lamps. Further, in accordance with the invention, there is carried by the frame or casing a garment-supporting or garment-hanger supporting rail 15, located below the light source 14 and connected to the end plates 11 and 12. Where the lightproducing means comprises fluorescent tubes, the frame with the latter, constitute a or eas ng 1 0 may he provided with an e ongate hori-f rected downward and bothforward and rearward of the t casing or frame 10. throughout a zone the. limits of which are indicated by the broken lines and 21. The front wall 10a of the. casing 10 is preferably opaque, thereby to constitute a shield or shade which blocks light from the means 14 and prevents thesame from being directed toward or at the. eyes of a person standing in front of the fixture and at a level above the same.

I have. found that, by the above organization, the rail 15. will be strongly and rigidly supported by the frame 10 which containsthe light means 14, and light from the latter will be so directed as to strike and illuminate all of the garments. which may be carried by the rail 15, regardless of their disposition along the latter. Such light is shielded from the user, and since it emanates from a large area and is diffused rather than concentrated it will, in beingreflected by the surrounding walls or .objects of the closet, greatly reduce and minimize dark shadows in the upper portions thereof, instead providing a desirable soft and diffused light by which objects located on the hat shelf of the closet will be readily discernable.

For the purpose of conveniently attaching the fixture to supporting surfaces, the end plates 11 and 12 are provided with rear, apertured flanges 24 and upper apertured, flanges 25. Thus the fixture may be secured either to the underside of the hat shelf of the closet, or else to blocks or molding suitably located within the closet.

It will be readily understood that the light-producing means 14 may be supplied with current by the usual electric cord 26, and may be controlled'by any suitable electric switch, such as the pull chain switch 27 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

For purposes of safety, a perforated or wire guard 28 may be provided at the open side 13 of the casing 10 to prevent inadvertent or accidental contact with the lightproducing means 14. Such guard is made readily removable, to enable replacement of the light means to be easily and quickly effected.

' Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, wherein a light-admitting shelf means is provided, in conjunction with the garment-supporting rail and elongate light producing means attached thereto. As shown, the improved clothes closet fixture of this embodiment embraces a" plurality of upright wall strips 30 having marginal apertures 31 by which they may be secured to a wall surface. Preferably, the strips 30 are embossed or formed to provide raised center portions 32 in which keyhole openings 33 are provided.

Cooperable with the wall strips 30 are plates 34 of brackets 35, said plates having selectively located, headed projections 36 at their rear,adapted to be received in the keyhole openings 33. Thus the bracket plates 34 maybe easily and quickly located on and secured to the wall strips 30 at any of a number of difierent elevations. The brackets further comprise forwardly and upwardly' extending struts 35' connected with horizontal supporting members 37 which carry" a plurality ofparallel,-spae'ed' shelf rods 38. The members 37 may be suitably' notched, as at 39, to accommodate the rods 38,

or 'the rods may be welded or otherwise fastened in place as found de'sir-ableI Y The rods 38 andbrackets- 135 constitute an'advantageoiis shelf means which will permit light to -pass through it, and whihwill collec-t'a minimum of dust.

nane present invention I dispose along the front-man "seamen V ginal portion of. the .said shelf means an open-sided casing 40 having a channel cross section, with legs 41 and 42 connected to each other by a web 43. Within the casing 40 I provide an elongate light-producing means 44, which may be of the incandescent or fluorescent variety, or other suitable type.

Hanging from the forward portion of the shelf means and disposed below and tothe rear of the light means 44 I provide a garment-supporting rail 46, carried by hangers 47' secured in the horizontal supports 37.

It will be readily appreciated that, by the above organizatiomlight from the source 44 will pass outwardly of the casing 40 to the rear and also above and below the casing, thereby to completely illuminate the garments carried by the rail 46 and to also illuminate objects on the shelf means comprising the rods 38. The casing 40,

however, will effectively shield the light from the eyes of a person standing at the front of the closet. Thus I have provided an extremely effective and desirableclothes closet fixture constituting a combined garmenttime it will permit light therefrom to pass to all desiredeconomical to manufacture, while at the same time being of rugged and durable construction, so as to have a long and useful, trouble-free life. The fixture may be easily and quickly installed, and will provide the maximum.

degree of convenience to a user regardless of the locatron or organization of the closet. The lighting of the objects will be diffused, and there will'be absent dark or noticeable shadows which have been characteristic of prior proposals along this line. a

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

l. A combination lighting and rail fixture for clothes closets and the like, comprising an elongate frame havmg frontand rear portions and means at its ends adjoining said rear-portion for attaching it to a support; an elon ate, light-producing means having a long, tubular glass envelope carried by the frame at its ends and extending substantially coextensive therewith; an elongate, opaque shade having a substantially U-shaped cross section, said shade extending substantially coextensive with and partially enclosing said light-producing means and being arranged to block some of the light therefrom; and a garment rail having a relatively large surface per unit length, connected with the frame and extending substantially coextensive therewith, said rail being spaced from and located below the said light-producing means and being located Wholly below said frame and accessible in a horizontal direction from the front of the fixture, said rail having a diameter commensurate with the diameter of the said tubular glass envelope, and being adapted to receive and support garment hangers by which lightcolored garments hung thereon may reflect light fror'n'the light-producing means upward.

2. A combination shelf, lighting and rail fixture for clothes closets and the like, comprising a shelf means constituted of a plurality'of spaced bars extending substantially coextensive with each other and arranged substantially in a common plane; mounting means holding the bars in said relation,- said mounting means having means for attaching it to a support; an elongate, lightprod-ucing means disposed adjacent and extending substantially coextensive with said bars and connected thereto; a shade adjacent and extending substantially coextensive with the light-producing means, blocking light therefrom in one direction; and a rail having a relatively large surface per unit length, connected with said bars and extending substantially coextensive therewith, said rail being spaced from and located below the said lightproducing means, and being adapted to receive and support garment hangers by which light-colored garments hung thereon may reflect light from the light-producing means upward.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which there is an elongate, open-sided casing disposed alongside and secured to the front of said shelf means and containing at least a part of the said light-producing means, a portion of said casing being constituted by the said shade.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which the casing enables light from the light-producing means to pass upwardly, backwardly and downwardly beyond the casing.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which there are sloping struts connected to the shelf means at points spaced from the front edges thereof, in which there are hangers carrying the said rail and connected to the shelf means adjacent the points of connection of the struts thereto, and in which the means for attaching the mounting means to a support comprises braces having upright plates provided with separable fastening means.

6. A combination shelf, lighting and rail fixture for clothes closets and the like, comprising a shelf means constituted of a plurality of spaced bars extending substantially coextensive with each other and arranged substantially in a common plane; mounting means holding the bars in said relation, said mounting means having means for attaching it to a support; an elongate, lightproducing means disposed adjacent the front of the shelf means and below the same, and extending substantially coextensive with said bars and connected thereto, light from said means being capable of passing upward through the shelf means between the bars thereof, to directly illuminate objects on said shelf means; a shade adjacent and extending substantially coextensive with the lightproducing means, blocking light therefrom in one direction; and a rail having a relatively large light-reflecting surface per unit length connected with said bars and extending substantially coextensive therewith, said rail being spaced from and located below the said light-producing means, and being adapted to reflect light from said light-producing means upward, and to receive and support garment hangers by which light-colored garments hung thereon may reflect light from the light-producing means upward.

7. A combination lighting and rail fixture for clothes closets and the like, comprising an elongate frame having means at its ends for attaching it to a support; an elongate, light-producing means carried by the frame at its ends and extending substantially coextensive therewith; a shade substantially coextensive with said lightproducing means and arranged to block some of the light therefrom; a rail having a relatively large surface per unit length, connected with the frame and extending substantially coextensive therewith, said rail being spaced from and located below the said light-producing means, and being adapted to receive and support garment hangers by which light-colored garments hung thereon may reflect light from the light-producing means upward; an opensided, elongate casing comprising said frame, a portion of said casing being constituted by said shade, and said light-producing means being disposed within said casing; a closed elongate casing further com-prising said frame and formed in part by said open-sided casing; and electric circuit means for said light-producing means, disposed at least in part within said closed casing.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 in which there are end plates connected with and joining together the said frame, casings, light-producing means, shade and rail.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 in which the means for attaching the frame to a support comprises apertured flanges on the said end plates.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 in which there is a pair of apertured flanges on each end plate, disposed at right angles to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,453,147 Kunz Apr. 24, 1923 1,560,122 Vance Nov. 3, 1925 1,727,032 Guignon Sept. 3, 1929 2,217,688 Larson et al Oct. 15, 1940 2,251,024 Overbagh July 29. 1941 2,284,393 Henry May 26, 1942 2,640,599 Hess June 2, 1953 2,662,163 Mollner Dec. 8, 1953 

